Israel's Labor Party Favors Temporary Chairman to Replace Mitzna

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, May 07, 2003

Israel's Labor Party Favors Temporary Chairman to Replace Mitzna

Israel's Labor Party prefers to choose a temporary chairman to replace Amram Mitzna after his resignation on Sunday evening, according to reports in Jerusalem on Tuesday.

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Israel's Labor Party prefers to choose a temporary chairman to replace Amram Mitzna after his resignation on Sunday evening, according to reports in Jerusalem on Tuesday.

Labor's secretary-general Ophir Pines-Paz held separate consultations Monday with former party chairman Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, statesman Shimon Peres and other top party members, over the party's future.

Most of the top members favor electing a temporary chairman, while Pines-Paz and former cabinet minister Matan Vilnai propose toelect a permanent chairman as soon as possible.

Labor's parliament members are scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss electing an alternative leadership in the wake of Mitzna's resignation, the Ha'aretz news service reported.

The next step reportedly will be to convene the party's bureau at the beginning of next week to prepare a proposal to bring beforethe central committee within a week or two.

About ten top members have been mentioned to contest the leadership of Israel's second largest political party. Among them include Ben-Eliezer, Vilnai and former parliament speaker Avraham Burg.

At a special press conference held in Tel Aviv Sunday evening, Mitzna made the surprise announcement that he would step down as party leader after only nine months, and leveled harsh criticism athis party colleagues.

"To my regret, despite the huge majority with which I was elected to the post of chairman, there were people among the current party leadership who didn't internalize and didn't respect the decision of the voters, and did everything to undermine my ability to lead the party."

"There is no way to lead a party with people driven by an urge to self-destruction and political suicide. I cannot take responsibility for a party that is on the verge of economic bankruptcy after years of failed management and wastefulness."

Senior party member Haim Ramon warned Monday that Mitzna's resignation could spell the end of the Labor Party. According to Ramon, some party members undermined Mitzna's authority, treated him with scorn, and strongly hampered his work.

"They should have understood that the moment Mitzna was chosen, it was incumbent on them to aid him and not topple him, because Mitzna's fall could be the end of the Labor Party," Ramon said.

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